What surprised her was the understanding she saw in Ana’s eyes. “Our father tried to sell my sister to the highest buyer when we were just girls. Her first bleed happened before mine. So, he put her on sale because she was now considered a woman in the world’s eyes. In reality, he just needed the money to buy more ale.” Ana said, her voice distant as she turned her attention to the stars above them.
Ember felt her stomach flip in disgust. “What happened?”
Ana scanned the balcony before searching to see how many people were in the doorway behind them. Once she was sure no one would overhear them, she turned her attention back to Ember. “He sold her. She was gone for two weeks with no word. Then I got my first bleed and it started all over again. After a month of no letters, no sightings of my sister, she showed up in the middle of the night. Her dress was covered in blood, soot, and she smelled of smoke and burnt flesh. She asked me to trust her and held out her hand. I took it and never looked back.”
“What happened to your father and Ari’s husband?” Ember found herself asking.
Ana’s gaze turned away from her, narrowing her eyes as if she was replaying those horrible images over again in her head. “She killed her husband while he slept once he was done with her. I think Nikolas helped her, but neither of them has told me the entire story. Our father’s death came a few years later long after we’d joined the
Obsidian.”
Ember couldn’t imagine the horrors Ari had gone through as a teenager. Her father had tried to marry her off to Cassius, but at least he was her own age and someone she knew and loved in some way. There could have been a number of worse suitors he might have tried to pawn her off to. It seemed the twins weren’t as fortunate as she was. No wonder Ana hated royals. Her life must seem perfect compared to what she and her twin went through.
“I know you didn’t tell me that to get my pity. So, I won’t even try to say I’m sorry for what happened to you and your sister.” Ember said carefully, studying her as she tried to figure out exactly why she’d told her this story. “Why did you tell me?”
Ana pushed herself off the wall and came to lean against the railing beside her. “I told you because …. because there are a lot of men out there that think they own us. Men like your father, King Ivan, my own father, Ari’s husband, even your bastard prince, but the Captain is not one of them. He might struggle with the right words, but he would never take your choice away from you.”
Letting her head tip back, Ember closed her eyes as she tried to process what Ana had just said. Deep down in her gut she knew she was right, but she didn’t want to admit it. If she admitted it? She knew she’d then have to admit maybe going home wasn’t the best idea. It would then lead her to considering staying with Nikolas on the Obsidian as the more ideal option and she didn’t know if she was ready to admit all of that.
Her head lowered, her gaze darting to the door as the sound of it opening broke the silence that had fallen over them. A guard stood there, eyeing the two women cautiously. “Your presence is requested by the Queen. The Prince and your other friend have already been told and taken to her throne room.” He informed them. His eyes shifted between them warily like he was expecting one or both of them to attack him.
Ana shrugged as she pushed off the railing. “Typical boys. Too excited to wait for us. Come on, I’m assuming they’re not too far ahead.”
Ember didn’t hesitate in following her and the guard back inside. Much to her surprise, Ana linked her arm with her own. To anyone else, it might look like they were just two friends walking together. Ember knew it was nothing of the sort. Ana was keeping her close in case something went wrong and they were ambushed.
The guard led them down a hallway Ember hadn’t seen when they first came in. She found herself captivated by it. With every painting they passed, she found she had more questions. Most were of women with only a few men scattered around.
These were all the rulers of Stellara, she realized.
Ember recognized a few from her history lessons growing up. It surprised her to see that while there was a king, it was the queen who ruled over this kingdom. Something about that excited her and she suddenly couldn’t wait to meet this Queen Esmeralda.
Her attention returned to what was
happening as they stopped in front of a grand looking pair of doors. Her attention shifted to the details that went into the carvings of each door. There were swirls, what looks like different phases of the moon, and two women carved into the center where the split between the doors separated them.
It seemed to tell a story.
Ember just wasn’t sure of which one.
Ana’s arm tensed around her own as the doors opened.
The pair stepped inside once they were motioned to by the guard. Ember’s gaze took in the room, marveling at the beauty of all the different details. This room was so different from the main ballroom. While that room seemed to be like an explosion of falling stars, this one appeared to be all ice. Everything from the tapestries to the throne itself was set to a colder tone.
Upon feeling Ana’s tug, she turned her attention to the others in the room.
Asher and Nikolas stood off to the side. Three guards stood behind them. Both were tense, but that might have just been because of where they were and who they were here to see.
The Queen of Stellara.
Chapter 20
Ember shifted her attention over toward the regal woman sitting on the throne made of stone in the center of the room. Everything about her screamed power. From the crown of stars on her head, to the silver gown she wore. The color shined against her dark skin. Her hair was a deep shade of gray, not from age, she made a note of. It was naturally that color.
Something about this woman sent a chill down her spine. While the room was chilly, she knew it wasn’t the temperature making her cold. Queen Esmeralda sat there, her spine straight and her icy gray eyes narrowed as she studied the new arrivals to her throne room.
Her eyes had turned to Ember as soon as she and Ana were escorted inside. She immediately felt like prey being led towards its own slaughter. Everything about this woman seemed cold to her. Even her lips were a blue color, but Ember wasn’t sure if that was kind of trick of the light or if it was her natural color.
Suddenly the décor of this room seemed a bit too fitting for her comfort.
“Prince Asher of Iron Kress, I was told you sought an audience with me tonight. What was so important you felt entitled to not only take me away from my guests, but to come to my party without invitation and with pirate scum no less?” Queen Esmeralda finally spoke, her chilling gaze turning toward Asher and Nikolas.
Asher straightened, clearing his throat, as he took a step forward. “My apologies, Your Highness, but it was urgent. My brother’s fiancée seems to be under a curse and we’re here to ask for help. We were informed we’d need assistance from a witch to break the curse.”
He kept the details vague with still only revealing enough to explain the situation. Asher, even if he wasn’t the legitimate heir, had
remembered his training. He knew how to lead a negotiation with other royals. Nikolas was right to ask him to come tonight.
The Queen seemed to think over his plea for help. Ember tried to ignore the pang of guilt that hit her when Asher had referred to her as his brother’s fiancée. She also tried to ignore the dark expression that had passed over Nikolas’ face at the
introduction.
“You insult me by assuming I’ll believe it was your idea to come here, bastard.” She said, her glare narrowing in on him before it shifted toward Nikolas. If Queen Esmeralda saw how her words hurt Asher, she didn’t care. “Captain Sebastian Smoak, it’s been a long time since you’ve graced my kingdom with your presence. I hope you’ve stayed far away from my eldest daughter’s window this time. She’s happily married now, you know.”
Confusion hit Ember as the strange name was announced. Was she talking about Nikolas? From the way Nikola
s’ face had turned white, as well as Ana’s, she knew something had been revealed they hadn’t wanted told to her. Whether it had been the unfamiliar name or the implication he’d been a lover to one of the princesses, she wasn’t sure.
Something stirred inside her memory as she really studied the pirate captain. Something about what she’d said was tugging at a memory buried deep in her subconscious. Smoak. Captain Smoak. Why did that name sound so familiar?
The Queen almost looked smug when she realized what she’d done. She could see she’d cause some sort of trouble for the Captain and it delighted her. “I know you’re here because you want to free your brother Klaus from Cane Island. After the trouble you caused the last time you were here, I’m half tempted to tell my guards to bring you to the dungeons.”
Her hand raised as if she was ready to give that very command. Her guards straightened in preparation of following her order. Her eyes shifted to Ember then, her head tilting as she studied the girl in the emerald dress.
Ember shifted uncomfortably, not liking the way she seemed to be reading her soul.
“Now that’s curious. Come forward, girl. Tell me your name.” She said as she motioned for her to step closer.
Ember could have sworn she felt Ana’s grip on her arm tighten. As quick as she felt the motion, Ana’s arm had released her own. Taking a deep breath, Ember nodded and stepped toward the throne.
Once she was close enough, she lowered to one knee and bowed her head. “My name is Emberlyn Lethorne. I’m the daughter of Theodore and Liliana Lethorne. My father is the right-hand to King Ivan.”
The Queen studied her for a moment as she stood back on her feet. Ember wasn’t sure what she was looking for, but as she sat back against her throne, Ember knew the Queen had found whatever it was. “I find it curious y ou do not announce yourself as the fiancée of the crowned Prince. Was that more lies from the bastard prince, I wonder, or is it simply because you do not wish to be engaged to Prince Cassius?”
Her body froze at the questions. It didn’t even occur to her that she should have connected herself with Cassius.
Queen Esmeralda simply laughed at her panic, only making her more nervous. “What do you know of your mother’s origins, girl?”
The new question had caught her off guard. It was so long ago that her mother had been killed. So many years had passed since she’d heard anything about her. Her father refused to answer anything beyond the basic questions.
Was she kind? What did she look like? Did she love me?
Those were the only questions he’d answer. Anything beyond that went to deaf ears with a scolding that kept her from ever asking again.
She didn’t understand why Queen Esmeralda seemed to have any interest in her mother. “My father never told me, Your Highness. I’m sorry.”
Those cold eyes seemed to narrow in on her again, the curiosity blazing behind them. The Queen was silent now, making the foursome even more uncomfortable. There was no way to guess how this meeting would go from here.
“Her mother descended from here in Stellara, Your Highness. She was a Stellarian like yourself. A lord’s daughter who’d been sold to Theodore Lethorne.”
Ember’s confused eyes darted to the person who’d spoken up and she felt her heart shatter all over again.
It was Nikolas. Nikolas, or Sebastian, or whatever his name really was, knew more about her mother than she did. He knew who her mother was before she married her father and he hadn’t thought to tell her. The pirate had chosen to be a coward instead and lied to her. She should have known something was off. He had known more about her than she’d ever shared with anyone the first time they’d met too.
Ember had assumed it was because he’d been watching her before he played out his kidnapping plan or that he was just that good at reading people, but clearly, she was wrong. He’d kept that truth from her all this time. He hadn’t even hinted he’d known her family beyond her father’s title.
But he’d known about her curse, among other things, without her ever telling him too.
Nikolas had already known, she realized. That was how he could have known those secret details she’d only just been made aware of.
All she could feel in that moment was betrayal. He had planned all of this down to the last detail. Everything had been a lie. That was what she couldn’t seem to grasp. Probably because she didn’t want to believe it to be true.
Asher was just as confused as she was if the anger in his eyes was anything to go off of. “How could you possibly know any of that? You’re not much younger than I am. You would have been a child when she was alive.”
Nikolas, no, Sebastian, hung his head in shame as he refused to answer. He wouldn’t meet her gaze or answer Asher’s questions.
Queen Esmeralda’s chilling laughter felt like a punch in the face. She was finding all of this amusing. Ember felt like her life was crumbling at her feet and this woman was laughing. “Haven’t either of you heard the story they spun of how Lady Liliana died on Cane Island?” She asked.
Neither she or Asher said a word.
“Perhaps it’s been too long, I shall remind you. Lady Liliana accompanied King Ivan and Theodore on a trip to Cane Island after he was crowned King. They were attacked by the great Captain Niklaus Smoak, the king of thieves as they called him, while at sea. It is said that the Captain himself was the one that dealt the fatal blow to the unfortunate Lady Liliana. When they returned King Ivan was suddenly stronger, more confident in his rulings. His kingdom blossomed with peace and wealth while the pirate breed began to die out.” Queen Esmeralda went on, explaining a tale Ember was well familiar with.
Ember felt her heart twist as her memory was refreshed. Now Ember remembered why Sebastian’s name sounded so familiar. Smoak. It was the name of the pirate who had killed her mother in her father’s story.
Disgust filled her as she realized only just an hour ago, she’d been considering a life with the brother of the monster who’d taken her mother from her.
“That isn’t how it happened.” Nikolas snarled.
His name wasn't Nikolas, she reminded herself bitterly.
Nikolas Barrelwalker had just been another mask he wore, another role to play. The man she’d been getting close to wasn’t real.
It was all a lie. Every word. Every story. Every moment. Even his own name. None of it was real. With everything else going on it seemed like the least important reveal to focus on, but it was probably the only thing right now that she could fully process.
Her attention returned toward the Queen, curious to how she'd respond to what he'd said. It was the first time he'd spoken since revealing what he knew about her mother. Pure rage blazed behind his eyes, a feeling of hatred she could feel from across the room.
With a flick of her wrist, two of the guards behind Sebastian moved forward and restrained him. Asher only stepped to the side, showing no sign of attempting to help him. Ember felt frozen in her spot, trying to process what she’d been told.
Behind her, she could hear Ana struggling against the guard who’d just taken ahold of her arms. Her voice sounded much further away than she actually was. Ember didn’t even turn her head toward the woman she’d been starting to consider a friend. Her face scrunched up. The confusion clear on her expression as she tried to process all of this. It was then she realized something off about what Queen Esmeralda had said.
Even with everything happening so quickly around her, the world felt like it was moving slowly as she rose up back to her feet.
Sebastian and Ana were both forced down to their knees, their hands now restrained behind them. Swords were held against their throats, awaiting the order from their Queen.
“You said that was the story that was spun to us. What’s the true story?” Ember asked out, her eyes rising to meet the Queen’s.
Queen Esmeralda looked pleased with her question.
“Smart girl. Are you sure you wish to hear the true tale of your mother’s death?” She asked as he
r gaze locked in on her.
“Yes.”
With another wave of the Queen’s hand, the swords were removed from her friends’ necks, but they were not released or helped to their feet.
Her cold eyes had never left Ember’s. “Very well. Your mother was a citizen of my kingdom long ago. She was a dear friend of mine. We told each other everything and trusted each other with our secrets. Before she was sold to your father, she told me of a boy she met down at the docks. His name was Klaus, but she always called him Nik. They would meet in secret, watch the stars and just …. enjoy each other’s company.”
The Queen’s eyes drifted toward Sebastian, her expression softening slightly as a memory seemed to replay in front of her. “Your brother always treated her kindly and with respect. He asked her to join him at sea, but she wouldn’t leave her father or me.”
Ember refused to look in Sebastian’s direction, refused to acknowledge the similar question he’d asked her tonight. She didn’t so much as breathe too deeply as she waited for the Queen to continue on with her story.
With a heavy sigh, she did. “Your
grandfather wasn’t doing well financially. It was common knowledge to everyone. It was why he moved out of the palace and into an estate outside the borders of Stellara. He had drunk and gambled away his fortune. Your father was getting pressure from, at the time, Prince Ivan to find the next descendant in your bloodline before he was crowned king. Theodore caught wind of your grandfather’s troubles once he figured out who your mother was. It was his way in. He bought your mother’s hand in marriage and took her back to Iron Kress with him. I was just a teenager myself at the time. I could not do anything to help her and for that I will always live with guilt.”
The Black Moon's Curse (The Stellara Trilogy Book 1) Page 17
